Deer pose danger to motorists, especially this month

While inclement weather and the fading light of day can cause hazards for fall drivers, there's another threat that's often forgotten until it jumps out right in front of them — deer. While fatalities are rare in deer-related crashes, Sgt. Rick Menges of the Ohio Highway Patrol Post at New Philadelphia warns that crashes involving the animals are common in the area, and are likely to go up in November.

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Times Reporter

Posted Nov. 4, 2013 at 7:00 AM

Posted Nov. 4, 2013 at 7:00 AM

Tips for avoiding deer-related accidents

1 Be attentive when driving. And slow down!2 Use high-beam headlights when driving in deer territory to increase your vision and increase your time to react to a deer hiding on th...

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Tips for avoiding deer-related accidents

1 Be attentive when driving. And slow down!

2 Use high-beam headlights when driving in deer territory to increase your vision and increase your time to react to a deer hiding on the roadside that decides to jump in front of your car.

3 The use of car-mounted "deer whistles" does not seem to affect deer and may result in drivers' being less aware. These devices don't work. Watch out!

4 If a collision with a deer is unavoidable, it usually is best not to swerve to avoid it; brake and hold the wheel straight. Turning the wheel to avoid the deer may result in a worse accident with another car, or cause the car to spin out of control resulting in a much more serious crash.

Source: car-accidents.com

While inclement weather and the fading light of day can cause hazards for fall drivers, there's another threat that's often forgotten until it jumps out right in front of them — deer.

Less than two weeks ago, a Middleburg Heights man died after swerving to miss a deer standing on Interstate 77, about 2 miles south of New Philadelphia.

The driver, Arthur F. Fritch, 58, was killed after his vehicle struck a ditch and flipped on its right side on the right side of the roadway.

While fatalities are rare in deer-related crashes, Sgt. Rick Menges of the Ohio Highway Patrol Post at New Philadelphia warns that crashes involving the animals are common in the area, and are likely to go up in November.

Last year, Menges said, the Highway Patrol responded to 377 crashes in which 16 people were injured. There have been 266 crashes in the county so far this year, with one fatality and eight people injured, he said. These numbers don't reflect every deer crash in the county as the various municipalities record their own.

He said he expects the number of accidents to go up as the deer enter the rut, or mating season, this month.

He said deer will be rushing around for mating as well as trying to escape hunters. And when they do so, deer don't pay attention to roadways or drivers.

"The deer are running and just cross the road and jump out in front of them," he said.

Menges said there are ways to avoid collisions.

"The biggest thing is keep your bright lights on when possible," he said. "That gives you more area vision, and if you're familiar with the area, and commonly see deer, slow down."

He said the biggest areas for deer crossings are:

n State Route 39 east of New Philadelphia

n Roswell

n U.S. Route 250 between the New Philadelphia exit and Schoenbrunn

n Interstate 77 between mile markers 86 and 73

Menges said the most common time for deer to come out are around dawn and dusk. Dusk is coming earlier with the end of daylight saving time, and Tuscarawas County is in the top 10 counties for deer crashes in the state. He said slower speeds can help with reaction time, and the best way to avoid an accident is straight-line braking.

Menges acknowledges that avoiding deer sometimes is impossible, and that's where a lot of drivers run into trouble. "It is your instinct to swerve," he said.

However, swerving can cause a driver to run into oncoming traffic or to overcorrect and go off the road, where they can strike a ditch or a tree.

"It's better to hit a deer than somebody head-on," Menges said.

Page 2 of 2 - Of course, hitting a deer can cause serious damage to a driver's vehicle. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' website, most deer weigh up to 300 pounds — which can translate into heavy repairs.

As the owner of McKinnon Insurance in New Philadelphia, Joel McKinnon has had his fair share of calls about accidents.

"We tend to hit more deer than cars in our area," he said. "I don't know how literal that is or how precise that would be, but it happens a lot."

When it does happen, McKinnon said, the collision can cause up to $5,000 in damage.

"You'd be surprised how quickly the number goes up," he said.

He said speed isn't necessarily a factor. "My grandparents — this was years ago — were going 20 mph and drove into a herd of deer, and totaled the car."

McKinnon said local drivers should check the type of insurance coverage they have on their vehicles. He said damage and injuries are covered in comprehensive coverage, but others who have liability only may have to cover the cost out of pocket.